


A Relentless Past

by Quepasta



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst, During Breath of the Wild, F/M, Fluff, Forgotten Memories, Hyrule - Freeform, Legend of Zelda - Freeform, Link and Zelda - Freeform, LoZ - Freeform, Mipha - Freeform, Revali - Freeform, Romance, Slow Burn, The Champions - Freeform, botw, breath of the wild - Freeform, breath of the wild during the game, daruk - Freeform, king rhoam - Freeform, link x zelda - Freeform, urbosa - Freeform, zelda and link - Freeform, zelda x link, zelink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28491855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quepasta/pseuds/Quepasta
Summary: Link wakes up with no memory but discovers he has been asleep for 100 years. Now he must struggle with remembering his past, a painful past he has no memory of, and confronting his destiny in the present. Not to mention dealing with the crazy characters he meets while exploring the new world he has woken up in and the foes he runs into.Takes place during Breath of the Wild and expands on the story we know from the video game. (Part 1 of this trilogy. Also, you know I ship Zelink but this is the slowest slow burn I have ever written))
Relationships: Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick explanation of this story. This fic started out as a writing exercise and then it got out of control, as they usually do. This will be a trilogy, the first one (this one) being Link’s story during the game. Staying somewhat canon, but adding things that will round out the story and lead to non-canon things.  
> I will say that the story might be slow at first, but I promise I am building up to something. The first two chapters are setting up the scene and building Link’s character. My focus is on exploring his emotions during the game and how much he actually remembers, since we don’t get to see a whole lot of that.  
> The next story will be Zelda’s story before the calamity (not following Age of Calamity’s story, for obvious reasons). Mostly because I wanted to know more about her story and so I decided to write it. I actually wrote that story first, but I wanted to experiment with story telling by starting the trilogy in the present and then going back to the past. Also, the second story will answer questions that the first story will create.  
> The last installment will be after the game, following both Link and Zelda. The aftermath of the calamity and both of them rejoining the world after 100 years is very intriguing to me, so that is where my focus is. Also exploring some of the lore of the series. (We will see who puts their story out first, me or Nintendo lol. Please let us have an update on BOTW 2 soon)  
> The series will be an expansion of the canon story but also adding things that I would like to explore. Each installment will have many, many chapters. This has been the biggest project I have worked on so far. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any polite feedback or questions. Thank you - Quepasta

The fire crackling was the only noise that was made as the two strangers sat across from each other. One of them, a young man, tentatively ate the baked apple that the other stranger, an older gentleman, had given him. The young lad was starving but also felt sick to his stomach, but an apple had seemed like a good thing to try to settle himself.

The young man squinted at the sunlight poking through the clouds, his eyes still adjusting. The sun shined brightly, searing its light into his retinas. His head hurt and he was insanely thirsty, but more than anything he was confused. 

He played the events that had just happened back in his head. He had seen the golden bright light and heard the voice, telling him to wake up. What had the voice called him? Link? 

He had woken up alone, no one else being in...well wherever he had been. But he was sure that not only had he heard someone, but had also felt someone’s presence there with him. 

Rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand, he continued working through the rest of the events that had happened since waking up. The voice had told him to pick up the sheikah slate, some sort of technology that was now hanging off the belt at his hip. The voice said the slate would guide him after his...long slumber. That’s what it had said. Whatever that meant.

The slate had opened the door to the...chamber? That word came to his mind. He found clothes to change into inside some old chests after leaving the chamber, a pair of pants and a shirt that were both a size too small. But it was better than nothing. 

After going through another room and pressing the slate against another pedestal, Link found the way out. Finally he had been able to see outside, the door opening up to a tunnel that led outdoors. When the door opened, he had seen the bright light once more. And the voice spoke to him. It had called him Link again. What had it said?

He racked his brain trying to remember, but it was as if his brain was protesting back. An intense amount of pressure found itself at his forehead, and the young man closed his eyes until it went away.

Then he finally remembered. The voice had said that he was the light that must shine upon Hyrule once again. The meaning behind that meant nothing to Link, finding himself lost at what the voice was trying to tell him.

Climbing out of the tunnel, Link had felt the urge to run. The air up here was much fresher than the thick air back in the chamber. He let the urge take him to the edge of a cliff, and he stared out at the land below him. He gasped at how large everything was, he suddenly felt dwarfed by the world. Huge mountains, hills, valleys, forests, and rivers took up the landscape. A large mountain stood out to him, but it didn’t look like the rest of the mountains. _Volcano,_ the word popped in his mind. It was a volcano. 

Link looked to his right, and that is when he first noticed the old man. It seemed like the old man had been watching him and when Link noticed him, he had turned around to walk away. Curiosity taking over, he walked down the slope to where he had seen the man sit down. 

As he approached the stranger, the smell of food overwhelmed him and he spotted the baked apple laying on the ground by the fire. Link had grabbed it without thinking, which caused the old man to finally speak. 

“I beg your pardon! I do believe that is my baked apple. You can’t just go about taking whatever you please!” The old man exclaimed. 

Instantly Link felt bad, of course he knew that. Why had he done it?

Seeing Link’s expression, the old man laughed. “Oh ho! Forgive me, I could not resist pulling your leg. Please, help yourself.” 

Link watched the old man, checking to see if he was serious. The old man had nodded, and that’s when Link had sat down to eat the apple.

“You know, it is a bit strange to see another soul in these parts.” The old man said, breaking the silence. 

Link looked up from the almost finished apple, raising his eyebrow in a question. “Who are you?” Link asked, the words feeling unnatural to him. 

“Me? I’ll spare you my life story. Ha! I’m just an old fool who has lived here, alone, for quite some time now. What brings a bright-eyed young man like yourself to a place like this?” The old man asked, leaning forward with his head slightly tilted.

The fire in front of them turned his long white beard to a shade of amber, but somehow deepened the shadows the hood around his head created on his face.

Link thought about the question for a second while chewing on the apple. He didn’t know the answer to that, which he figured he should know. It occurred to him he had no idea what this place was.

“Where are we?” Link decided to ask, finishing the apple and flinging the core behind him. 

The old man laughed again. “Answering a question with a question. That is fair enough. This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule.” 

There was that word again. _Hyrule_. It was a familiar word to Link, though he couldn’t pin down why. 

The old man got up and pointed to a building in the distance. “That temple there...long ago, it was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Though ever since the decline of the kingdom 100 years ago, it has sat abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self…” The old man trailed off and sat back down. 

Link watched him as he did so, he could see a different emotion pass over the old man’s face that had not been there earlier. Link racked his brain for a word to describe it. _Sorrow. Pain. Sadness,_ were the words his mind provided back. Link stared at the old man. He had said he had lived in this area for awhile. Had he witnessed the decline he talked about? 

The old man looked at him, and nodded his head toward the path behind him. Link got the message, _move along now._

“Wait. Do you have a name?” Link asked. 

“Whatever you want to call me is fine. Do you have a name?” The old man asked in return. 

He thought about it for a second. “Link.” He replied quietly. 

The old man nodded, as if agreeing with him that was his name. But he said nothing more. Link gave him a nod in thanks, and walked on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also focused on what Link was thinking during his time on the Great Plateau. After this it gets more interesting, I promise. This is just necessary for the rest of the story.

Link wandered on down the path, not sure where he was planning on going. Should he go to the temple then? Or maybe find shelter? He continued on, thinking about what shelter would even look like out here, but it wasn’t long before he heard the voice again.

_ Link _ .  _ Link. Head to the spot marked on the map of your sheikah slate.  _

The voice! There it was again. Link looked around, trying to find its source, but no one was around. He huffed, the feeling of agitation biting at him. Kicking at the dirt with his shoe, he took his frustration out on the ground. Then he laughed at himself a little bit, he was being childish. Still, the voice could at least tell him what was going on.

But Link decided to listen to it, it seemed to be helping him. He didn’t have a lot of options to do anything else anyway. He pulled out the slate and opened up the map.

Tapping the screen, in a movement that came naturally to him he noticed, he saw there was a blinking yellow light on the map. The rest of the map was blank except for the small yellow blip. Deciding that must be where he should go, he put the sheikah slate back on his hip. 

The day was bright and sunny, birds chirped overhead as Link trotted toward his destination. On the way, Link noticed an axe sticking out of a tree stump. He grabbed it and slung it over his back into the holster that he had found with the shirt. An axe would probably be handy, and it seemed abandoned. 

Continuing on, Link also passed a tree with a few apples hanging on it. Still hungry, he jumped up and grabbed the two lowest hanging ones. He climbed the tree trying to reach the third one, which was higher up. But he kept slipping as soon as he got close to it. Frustrated, he used the axe to chop the tree down. Then smiled as he collected the apples and wood from the tree.

On his right was a pond, and he recalled how thirsty he had felt earlier. He walked over to the edge of a cliff that looked over the pond. And he had the sudden urge to jump in, so he did. He aimed for the center of a circle of lily pads floating in the pond. Only after he jumped did he worry about if knew how to swim or not. 

Link had dove head first into the pond, and quickly found himself floating back up to the surface. His arms instinctively began to paddle and his head broke the surface as he gasped for air. After realizing he was alright, he laughed to himself. 

“Ahaha you found me!” A little voice squealed next to his ear. Link turned his head and was face to face with a tiny creature. It was floating by his head, a little gray and green thing with a leaf like face. And it was smiling at him. 

“Wait, you’re not Hestu! And you’re not a korok, but you can see me?” The creature asked. 

Link nodded his head, staring at the creature with wide eyes. Still treading water, he wasn’t sure what he should do. The creature seemed harmless so far. 

“Interesting. Well, if you see Hestu, give him this. Bye now!” The creature dropped a small golden object in the water and disappeared in a cloud of smoke and flowers. Link grabbed the object, put it in his pocket and started swimming towards the rock in the middle of the pond. 

He pulled himself out with his arms, and sat down on the edge of the rock with his legs still in the water. Perhaps this was a good place to stop and think for a moment, and to get a drink of water.

Checking the water out, Link decided it was clean enough to risk drinking. He wasn’t sure how he knew that or how he knew how to swim, but at this point he was coming to terms with how his brain seemed to be working. He knew some things, like survival instincts. But he didn’t know where he was, who he was, or how he got here. He knew that he should have known those things, but that knowledge appeared to be long gone. 

Something shining in the sunlight caught his eye, and Link turned to look at it. It was a sword, impaled higher on the rock. Link stood up and started climbing up the rock. With a slight tug, the sword was released from the rock and was added to the holster on Link’s back. 

Looking back to the pond, Link caught something moving in the water. There were fish in the pond, playfully chasing each other. He made a mental note to be on the lookout for fish in bodies of water, they would make a nice meal later. He jumped back into the water and swam to a shallow bank on the other side of the pond to climb out. 

Then he was back to heading to the spot marked on the map. Not long though, he came upon a creature he thought he had never seen before. It was red, with big ears, eyes and nose. He could hear it snorting all the way from where he was, peering out behind a crumbled pile of rocks.  _ Bokoblin,  _ he thought.

Without even thinking, he pulled out the sword and rushed toward the creature, slaying it before he even realized what he was doing. The bokoblin had ran toward him, snarling with its claws outstretched, but it hadn’t gotten far. After the bokoblin was slain, Link instinctively bent his knees and he fell into a position that was almost like a crouch. His eyes darted around and he realized he was looking for more of the creatures. The motion felt second nature to him, he noticed.

It was then that Link saw that the pile of rocks he had been hiding behind were not rocks at all, they were the remnants of a building. Actually there was a lot of rubble and debris in the area he was in now. Link gasped in surprise when he saw a chest near where a wall had once stood. 

This one was similar to the other chests that he had found in the chamber. Walking over to it, he gave the chest a little kick and it popped open. Inside were a pair of pants and boots. They were larger than the ones he currently had on. Link quickly changed, feeling much better, and headed back on his path. 

It was hard for him not to get distracted by this place. There were so many places to explore, food to collect, and as he recently discovered, bokoblins to slay. He decided he would explore after he was done with the task the voice had given him.

Taking out a couple of bokoblins that were lingering just outside the spot on the map, he finally reached his destination. It was tucked away under some large boulders, but there was a pedestal that was similar to the one back in the chamber. Above it was a light brown stone archway, and in the center of it was a long black stone that pointed down from the roof. 

Link pulled out the sheikah slate and held it up to the pedestal, wondering what this would do. He watched the screen as the sheikah woke up when he placed it on the pedestal. Then the screen read “Sheikah Slate confirmed. Watch out for falling rocks.”

“Wha-” Link began, but he was cut off as the ground around him began to tremble. Rocks began to fall from above, though he was protected by the archway that was above the pedestal. The floor beneath him began to rise from the ground, taking Link up in the air with it. He fell onto his back as he continued to rise in the air, his stomach threatening to dispose of the apple he had eaten earlier. 

He watched as he saw more towers across the horizon raise from the ground as well, what had he done? The land stopped shaking, Link stood up and gave his attention to the Sheikah slate. It had started glowing and so had the stone above the pedestal. There was a small sound, somewhat akin to a faint twinkle, and then a drop of blue liquid fell from the stone onto the slate. 

“Regional Map Extracted.” The screen read. Link grabbed the slate and scrolled through the screen, the map was no longer blank. The area he was in, which the map now called the Great Plateau, was now sketched out in a detailed map. He could see names of locations, mountains and forests. 

Sliding the slate back onto his hip, Link turned to find a way down the tower. 

_ Remember!  _ The voice was back. 

Link turned around, expecting to see someone behind him, but instead his eyes focused on a large structure in the distance.  _ The castle,  _ he thought. 

_ Try, try to remember! _

Link walked closer to the edge of the tower to get a better look at the castle. From the middle of the tallest spire of the castle, he could see the golden light again. Did the voice reside in the castle? 

_ You have been asleep for the past 100 years.  _

Before Link could process what the voice said, the ground started trembling again. A thick dark mist tinged with red rose up from the castle, almost covering it entirely. Then the mist formed some sort of head, like a bokoblin or a pig, and circled the castle. Link felt his hands fist at his side involuntarily, anger finding itself across his face. 

_ The beast… when the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end. _

The beast, as the voice called it, let out a roar as it rose from the castle. Then the golden light grew brighter, and the mist along with the beast retreated back into the castle, disappearing from view. 

_ Now then, you must hurry, Link. Before it’s too late… _ Link waited for it to continue, but it didn’t. The glow from the castle faded. All was still again. 

_ Before it’s too late for what? And...did the voice say he had been asleep for one hundred years? _ Link felt sick again, and irritated that nothing was making sense. His face in a scowl, he decided that he needed his feet to be on solid ground again. He looked around, for the first time noticing three large openings in the floor of the tower. 

Two of them were filled with the rocks that had buried the tower earlier. But the third one was clear. He looked down into the opening and saw another landing not far down. Looking closer, he saw some sort of intricate entanglement of stone that led down to the landing. It could be used as a ladder, and without hesitation he started climbing down. 

Once his feet were planted on the base of the landing, he turned to look at the next one. He realized the next few landings were much closer than the first one had been, and began to swiftly jump down them one by one. His feet thudding as he landed on each overhand, he moved as fast he could. 

He wanted nothing more than to get back on the ground, find somewhere to sit and rest, and try to process the events that day. Also, he could go for another bite to eat.

However, as soon Link’s feet touched the ground he heard a greeting from the sky. He turned towards the noise and saw the old man from earlier, soaring towards him while hanging from some sort of cloth and wood contraption. Had the old man been watching him?

“My, my… it would seem we have quite the enigma here. This tower, and others just like it have erupted across the land, one after another.” The old man said, not giving an explanation for his sudden appearance. 

Link wanted to tell the old man that he knew that, he had been the one to cause the towers rising. But he kept his mouth shut and listened. 

“It is almost as though… a long-dormant power has awoken quite suddenly. If you don’t mind me asking. Did anything… odd occur while you were atop that tower?” The old man asked. 

Link thought for a moment, maybe he should tell the old man about the voice. Maybe he heard it to, or at least knew what it was. Or maybe he would think Link was crazy, which was definitely a possibility. 

“I heard a voice.” He replied.

“Well now. A voice you say? Did you happen to recognize this voice?” The old man followed up.

“No.” Link said after a moment. The voice...obviously seemed like it knew Link. And there was something, well, maybe familiar about it. But he did not recognize it. 

The old man’s face saddened when Link replied, his shoulders drooping just a bit. “I see. Well, that is unfortunate.” Before Link could ask what he meant by that, the old man turned and pointed at the castle. “I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle.” 

Link nodded, and waited for him to continue.

“That is… Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely.” 

Link flinched when the old man said “Ganon”. That name brought the taste of bile to his mouth and caused him to clench his jaw. He knew that name meant evil. And what the old man said had confirmed that. 

“There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching…” The old man sighed, staring at the castle. Then he turned toward Link again. “I must ask you, courageous one... Do you intend to make your way to the castle? 

The young man was surprised by the other man’s question. Did he plan to go? The voice, the one that had awoken him, told him his name, and helped him so far, was asking him for help. It was asking him to hurry and go to the castle. Maybe he would find some answers there too. Though there was the issue of the beast he had just seen.

“I do.” Link replied. 

The old man chuckled before responding. “I had a feeling you would say that.” Then he averted his eyes to the edges of the cliffs nearby. “Here, on this isolated plateau we are surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, with no way down. If you were to try to jump off, well no death could be more certain or more foolish. Of course, if you had a paraglider like mine, that would be quite another story.”

“Paraglider?” Link asked.

“The item I used to fly down here. How about I trade it for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby. Come, let me show you something.” The old man began walking away, with Link following quickly on his heels. He led Link to a small hill nearby. 

“Do you see that structure there? The one shining with a strange light?” The old man pointed to a small black structure in the distance, it glowed with an orange light. It reminded Link of the chamber he woke up in. Link nodded, showing that he saw it. 

“It started glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground. I would think such a place might house some sort of treasure, wouldn’t you?” The old man asked.

Link thought perhaps it did, but what kind of treasure was the old man expecting to be in there?

“Well then, treasure for the paraglider. A fair exchange, I believe.” The old man said, a finality in his voice. He didn’t say anything more, just looked from Link to the structure, and back again. 

Link nodded, the old man was telling him to move along again. Go get the treasure, and Link would get his prize. Almost annoyed at the old man, Link wandered off toward the structure. All he really wanted was a moment to just try and make sense of everything, but the sense of urgency from the voice kept him going. 


	3. Chapter 3

Link ate his spicy meat and seafood dish quickly, annoyance clearly displayed on his face. He supposed he didn’t need it anymore, he had already accomplished what he needed to in the cold regions of the plateau and the old man had given him a warmer shirt. But he was starving, and as he discovered, he ate when he was frustrated.

The old man had been running him around the plateau for days now. The single trip into the ancient structure had turned into Link visiting three other structures by the old man’s request. Link had learned they were called shrines and they were very similar to the one he had woken up in. What had happened inside the shrines had been… odd. 

There were puzzles that allowed him to learn new skills and gain new abilities with the sheikah slate. At the end of each shrine, there was an ancient monk who blessed him with a spirit orb. Presumably the treasure the old man had wanted. All of these excursions had been strange, but they were the least of his problems at the moment. 

Mulling over everything that had happened, he chewed the last bite of meat slowly. He wanted to gulp it down, he was famished after being asleep for so long. 

He wasn’t sure if he believed everything the voice had told him. How could he have been asleep for one hundred years? Sometimes he felt like he had, his muscles and bones had ached for the past few days. He couldn’t eat or drink enough to quench his need. But why had he been asleep for so long? Who put him there?

Thankfully Link’s stomach had finally stopped feeling queasy, well for the most part. So eating was a bit easier. Still he ate the last bite slowly. Consuming food was his only excuse for resting for a bit. If he wasn’t doing something while taking a break, he felt like he was wasting time.

But he needed to wrap his mind around a few things. The first being that something happened to him. Someone put him in the shrine for 100 years, and they must have had a reason. Link thought it had something to do with the large scar across the left side of his chest and abdomen. 

He had no memory of what caused the scar, but he knew it to have been a serious injury. Link had first noticed it the other day when he took off his shirt to wash in the pond, the same one he had jumped in on the first day. It was surprising to him that he hadn’t noticed it sooner. 

The second being what the old man told him after he returned from the first shrine. That the towers and shrines activating were all tied to his return and that the sheikah slate that had been left to him. Who had left it for him? The same person or people that had put him in the shrine? 

So what all did Link really know? Not much. He had been put in the shrine, possibly to heal for one hundred years. That a voice from the castle had woken him up and needed his help. His name was Link, at least that is what the voice called him.

He knew that the shrines and towers were for him, for whatever reason. And that there was a cooky old man having Link run errands for him. The only other living person on this plateau was giving him personal to-do lists.

To be fair, the old man had helped him and provided a few answers. But both the old wanderer and the voice were being discreet with the clues they gave him. Were they in on the joke together? Laughing as Link obeyed their every order? 

There was only one way to find out. He had to meet the old man at the point where the shrines intersected. According to his map, that place was the Temple of Time. Link didn’t understand why he had to seek out the old man again, the old man had been right in front of him. Although, he had disappeared into thin air, which disturbed Link to his core. But he had promised to tell Link everything, and that was enticing enough to him. 

Link was ashamed to admit part of him wanted to give up. He wanted to forget the old man and the voice and his tasks. He could try to find another way to get off the plateau. But something in his gut told him to listen to his guides, however odd they were. 

It wasn’t too long until Link arrived at the Temple, he had run there as fast as he could. Momentarily having to stop to catch his breath a few times, he had made it to the temple in good time. His desire for the truth renewing his energy quickly, he found himself shaking with nerves. 

Only then did it cross his mind to ask himself if he wanted to know the truth. At least now he could be oblivious to what happened to him. He could in theory move on with his life and pretend none of this had happened. 

He shook his head. He had to know what happened. But was the truth going to be worse than not knowing?


	4. Chapter 4

Link stepped through the archway of the temple. As he walked inside, he felt the air change. It seemed to tingle, with life, history, magic… something. It made the hair on his arms stand up, and caused his heart to flutter a bit.

Something tugged at the edge of his mind, a fleeting thought that he couldn’t quite yet grasp. A brief image of him being here with someone, he thought he heard a laugh and maybe someone saying his name. But as soon as he started picturing it, it was gone. As quickly as it had come, the ghostly image vanished. He wasn’t even sure if it was an actual memory. But he knew that it probably was. Link had been here before. He knew this place, he felt it in his bones and blood. 

He walked further in, his eyes darting side to side. Inside the temple it was still. Light shone through the holes in the stone walls. It was overgrown with vines and ivy, the ground almost completely covered with grass and leaves. On one side of the temple was a gaping hole in the wall, so large that it made Link question the stability of the building. 

He might have even left if it weren’t for the large statue at the far end of the temple. It seemed to call to him with an inviting glow that surrounded the statue. He felt the need to stand in front of it. Some sort of instinct took over and he quickly walked across the floor to kneel in front of it. As he knelt, Link felt an odd feeling of peace fall over him. It was something he hadn’t felt since waking up. 

“You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power.” Link jumped. No one had said these words, they seemed to appear in Link’s mind. It was different from the other voice he heard. That one, he could feel the sound and vibration of the voice in his ear and his chest when it spoke. This voice seemed to only be in his head. 

“It appears you have claimed the spirit orbs. In exchange for four spirit orbs, I will amplify your being. So tell me what it is you desire. Health or Stamina?” It was clear now the words were being directed from the statue. Link wasn’t sure what the statue was, but he felt a sense of holiness coming from it. He trusted it, even if he wasn’t sure what it was saying. 

“Um, health?” Link answered, unsure what exactly the statue meant.

“Very well. I shall grant you the power you seek.” The statue answered. Then a stream of light from the statue swirled and swelled into him, hitting him in the chest. But the impact was not physical, it felt spiritual. He didn’t feel any pain, but it felt like something had passed through him. Link took a gulp of air, feeling breathless for a second. But then he was fine again. He felt....stronger? Healthier? There was no other way to describe it, he felt a bit more whole.

“Go and bring peace to Hyrule.” The statue said. And then the light faded, the holiness he had felt was mostly gone. It lingered, but the statue seemed normal again. Link, while utterly confused, nodded and turned to exit the temple. 

“Ho! The blessing of the Goddess has made you that much more resilient, I see… Well here I am! Get up here, quickly!” Link heard the old man before he saw him. But there he was, appearing on the roof of the temple. He was poking his head out through a hole in the ceiling, but was already turning to leave. 

Link scowled, why must it always be so complicated and theatrical with the old man? Why couldn’t he tell him down here?

Headed toward the hole in the wall he noticed earlier, Link aimed to go outside to try to find the best way to climb up the building. He didn’t have to look for long, quickly finding a rather convenient ladder attached to the side of the building that went all the way to the roof.

Link scrambled up the ladder onto the roof, bracing himself for the information he sought. He was ready to know what the old man had to say. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry these past two chapters have been short. The reason for that is that the next chapters are rather long, and the next chapter is where I start straying from the gameplay. It has been really interesting trying to write down Link's feelings during this bizarre event and I hope you have enjoyed it so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Link stared at the road ahead of him, not really paying attention to where he was going. He sat atop his horse, a lone brown stallion Link had found shortly after leaving the Plateau. His mind felt blank, but somehow at the same time it was also racing with the information he had just learned. Had he really only been chasing the old man around the temple this morning? 

_ Not the old man _ , Link corrected himself,  _ King Rhoam of Hyrule.  _

Link rubbed his face, once again trying to make sense of what King Rhoam had told him. He tried to run through the information one more time. 

One hundred years ago, there was a prophecy of the return of Ganon. The royal family gathered the weapons and people needed to defeat Ganon - the divine beasts, guardians, and champions. Link had been one of them, the Hylian champion. And the Princess’s appointed knight. 

_ Princess Zelda,  _ he thought. That was who the voice had belonged to. She was still alive, fighting from the castle and calling for him.  _ And everyone else was dead.  _

That thought made his heart stop. He didn’t remember the others, not yet. Or the Princess for that matter, but the idea that they had all died and he survived hurt. It made his stomach clench with guilt. And the Princess was fighting alone, a task that he was destined to do. It tore through him in a way that he couldn’t explain.

The King said he had fallen protecting the Princess, in battle. He had not gone into detail of how, but Link assumed he would find out eventually. Still, the Princess had survived. That meant he had done his duty and kept the Princess alive and safe. Surely that’s why he had fallen.

Link shook his head in frustration. It was impossible to keep the information straight. This life that he had, but didn’t remember, didn’t feel real. It was his story, but it felt like it had been lived by someone else. He tried once again. 

The champions and divine beasts were gathered and they had been training in preparation for Ganon’s return. But then Ganon had struck with a plan no one saw coming. Taking control of the very weapons that were supposed to protect them, the guardians and divine beasts attacked their own kingdom. 

The other champions lost their lives, the King died defending the Kingdom. It had just been Link and the Princess left when Link had fallen, or died perhaps? Then he had been taken to the shrine. The Princess went to the castle, one hundred years passed, and now here he was. Learning information about his life that he didn’t remember. It felt like he was being forced to understand the incomprehensible. 

And he was brought back for one reason, to defeat Ganon and free the Princess. He was only a mere weapon needed to free the Land of Hyrule.  _ Don’t think like that,  _ Link told himself. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was truly his sole purpose, the only reason he was saved. 

While Link really had no idea what awaited him at the castle, he itched to head straight there. To help the voice, the Princess, calling out to him. But the King had advised that it was a foolish move, he needed to find Impa first. 

He decided to listen to the King. He knew more about Link’s life and the world than Link did. And he was the King after all, and Link was a knight of the hylian army. He had vowed to serve the King, and he supposed that still applied even after both of their deaths. 

Link gasped when he realized he had remembered he was a knight. That had been implied when the King had told him he was the Princess’s appointed knight. But he recalled a faint memory of training and taking the vow. It was brief, not a clear memory yet. But it was there, more concrete than the one he had in the temple.

Even if the King had technically asked Link to save his daughter, Link knew it was as good as an order. Link also knew he would have done it without being ordered, something in his soul told him he had to. 

He shivered at the desperation in King Rhoam’s voice as he begged Link.

_ You must save her. My daughter.”  _

And he would, he promised. 

Nonetheless, Link had his doubts and his fears. He didn’t even know what a divine beast was or what it looked like, or even a guardian for that matter. If he couldn’t succeed the first time, what made King Rhoam think he could succeed now?

He was less prepared than he had been back then, at least he assumed. But that was the problem, was it not? Back then he remembered who he was and his purpose. He didn’t know now. 

Link sighed again, patting his horse as it started shaking its head. It was responding to Link’s agitation. The stallion was still a little wild, but he could tell that with some work it would make a fine horse. He felt bad he had let his mood affect the horse, and continued to sooth him to show him he was okay. 

“What do you think? Do I look over one hundred to you?” Link asked the horse, patting the side of its neck. But the stallion just shook his head, as if to say “no.”

“I appreciate it. Even if you’re lying.” Link laughed, both at the horse seeming to respond to his question and at the idea that he was having a conversation with him. He needed to think of a name.

Link and his horse were approaching Dueling Peaks, at least that is what the sign Link had passed earlier said. But he stopped his horse before they got there, eyeing another sheikah tower that was just across the river. Link had been stopping at every shrine he found, collecting more spirit orbs. But this was the first tower he had come across since leaving the plateau. A map of this area would be helpful and it seemed like he was supposed to activate them anyway. 

He dismounted from his horse and told the stallion to stay put. It looked at him, then started grazing on the grass nearby. Satisfied that the horse would stay, Link turned around and jumped into the river. He swam across quickly, the current gave him a bit of trouble but he made it over eventually. Then he started running toward the tower, he really didn’t want to take up more time than he had to. 

He needed to speak to Impa as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

Link led his horse away from the shrine he had just come from, toward the odd structure that was before him. It was a tent of some sort, topped with what appeared to be a large man-made horsehead. It was a sight unlike anything he had seen so far, which maybe wasn’t saying much. But there were people here, and Link hadn’t run into too many yet. 

“Well hello there, traveler! Welcome to Dueling Peaks Stable! Do you need directions?” A man who was standing at the front of the structure called out to Link. He was wearing a plain tan shirt with a red vest over it and darker traveling pants. The man had dark skin, thick eyebrows, and blue eyes that contrasted heavily against his coloring.

As Link walked closer, he realized that there was another man standing behind the counter and he looked exactly the same as the first man.  _ They must be twins,  _ Link thought.

“That’s a nice horse you have there, would you like to register it?” The second man asked. 

“Register it?” Link asked

“For a fee of 20 rupees, we will give you a bridle and a saddle, the horse will be recorded in our records so if it is ever lost we will know who to look for, and you can leave the horse here at our stable whenever you want.” The man behind the counter said, politely smiling. 

It seemed like a good deal. Link didn’t have a lot of money but he did have enough to cover the fee. “I suppose a saddle and bridle would be nice. I’ll do it.” Link said, pulling out the rupees. 

“Excellent! What is your name, for our records?” The man asked, pulling out a large leather book and setting it on the counter. Link could see the countless rows of names on the pages from where he stood.

Link paused for a moment, before replying. “Link.”

“Alright, Link. I’m Tasseren, the stable manager ‘round here in Dueling Peaks. This here is my brother Rensa, he don’t do much ‘round here.” Tasseren chuckled, waving a hand at his brother. 

“Hey. That ain’t fair, Tasseren. I sweep them dirty floors once a week!” Rensa retorted back, chuckling as well. 

Tassaren shook his head as he jotted Link’s name down. “Okay, Link, I have you down in the books. What’s the stallion’s name?” 

Well then, that was a good question. It was time to give the wild thing a name, but Link hadn’t given much thought to it yet. He stared at the brown stallion, which had wide eyes as it stared at the two brothers. It made Link chuckle a bit, and for some reason a name came to him. 

“Wolf. His name is wolf.” 

Tasseren nodded, writing it down in the book. He then turned around to fetch a bridle and saddle and while he did Link piled the rupees on the counter. 

Rensa was leaning against the stable, his arms crossed in front of him. Rensa’s eyes kept glancing from Link back to the shrine that Link had just come from, and then back to Link. Rensa raised an eyebrow in question, but didn’t say anything. It made Link feel somewhat uncomfortable, but this was also his first time around people. Perhaps he was the one acting weird. Regardless, he hoped to exit the shrine without being noticed. It seemed he had failed in that attempt.

“Here ya go, Link. Did you want to board Wolf as well then?” Tasseran came back, leaning over the counter and handing him the items. 

“Ah, no. I won’t be staying long. Is it alright that he stays out here for a few minutes?” Link asked, fiddling with the bridle in his hands. 

“Of course! He seems well behaved enough, come in and warm up. I can get you a drink too if you want.” Tasseren answered, waving his hand toward the door.

“I’m good for now, I’ll let you know if I change my mind though.” Link replied, leaning down to grab the saddle where he had laid it against his leg. He turned and approached Wolf, keeping his movements slow. 

The horse seemed to trust him, but he didn’t want to spook him now. Link made shushing sounds as he laid the saddle on Wolf’s back and was careful as he strapped it around the stallion’s stomach. Wolf didn’t seem to mind, he just watched Link from the corner of his eye. 

Link then walked over to the front of Wolf, giving his velvety nose a pat. “Alright buddy, this might be a little uncomfortable. But I think you will get used to it. Do you trust me?” Link asked Wolf, reaching up to scratch behind his ear. 

Wolf lowered his head and nudged Link’s arm, playfully biting his sleeve. This caused Link to laugh under his breath, and slid the bridle in Wolf’s mouth and over his head. After securing the straps and satisfied it was on properly, Link stepped back and had a look at Wolf. Everything seemed to fit him well and Wolf didn’t seem to mind his new ensemble. 

Link pulled out an apple and laid his palm flat out. Wolf gave an excited huff and bobbed his head, then leaned down to bite the apple. Much like Link, Wolf ate his food quickly and in one bite. 

“Stay here, I am going to go inside for a minute.” Link patted the stallion’s nose again, and turned to head inside. He passed Rensa on the way in, who still monitored Link with watchful eyes.

Inside the stable was one large room, but it was bustling with activity. Most of the floor space of the stable was filled with chairs and tables that were occupied by other travelers. But against the wall there were beds lined up, Link guessed that one could rent one for the night if they wanted. 

He glanced around. There weren’t that many people inside, but it felt a little overwhelming to him. Most were sitting and talking, some finishing up a meal. 

“Hey there! Did I overhear that yer name was Link?” A man called out to him. He had dark brown hair and matching facial hair. Link walked closer to where the man was sitting down at a table. He was sitting across from an elderly woman, who turned and smiled at him. 

“Uh, yes.” Link replied, uncertain why the man was asking. 

“Well that’s interesting. Isn’t it Edna? Just like the knight from one hundred years ago. Did yer parents name you after ‘im?” The man asked, tapping his fingers on the wooden table. 

“The knight?” Link questioned, trying not to show the shock on his face. Were they talking about him?

“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the fallen knight? You ain’t from around ‘ere then if you ain’t heard about the knight and the princess. You know, I can tell from your accent that you ain’t.” The man replied.

Trying to think quickly, Link nodded. “You’re correct. I’m not from around here, just passing through. What is this story, if you don’t mind?” Maybe he shouldn’t have been lying, or should have not asked. But he was curious, and these people might have the answers he’s been looking for.

“Oh young one, it’s the most famous story in all of Hyrule.” The woman, Edna Link assumed, spoke. “One hundred years ago, a great evil appeared. The royal family had been prepared to protect the kingdom from it, as the ability is passed through the bloodline. It’s said through our legends that the Princess of Hyrule possessed the sacred power, the power to seal away evil. But the land’s foe was too strong and everything fell apart. So many lost their lives that day, including the King of Hyrule. King Rhoam, may he rest in peace.” Edna said solemnly, and everyone in the stable echoed her prayer. 

Link hadn’t realized everyone was listening now. He looked side to side, there was a small crowd now, listening intently to Edna. Even those who had been outside earlier were listening from the doorway. Link felt nervous, his hands twitching and his heart was beating faster by the second. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rensa glaring at him from the doorway. What was his problem?

“Most of the army had been defeated, the skilled champions chosen by the royal family were killed, it was just the Princess and her knight left.”

The man from before picked up the story where she ended. “Her and the knight fled the castle, saving any civilian they could find along the way. They passed right through ‘ere, across Blatchery Plains, trying to aid the soldiers who were defending Fort Hateno. It is said the knight protected the Princess with his life. You could say he was not a normal knight, he was the only one that could wield the sword that sealed the darkness. Our legends say that the two are reborn into this land to work together to protect it from evil. Blessed by the Goddess to protect us. But I guess how blessed were they if they failed, huh?” 

Edna rolled her eyes at the man and shushed him. “Hush now, Hino. We don’t joke about the darkest day.” She said, her voice emphasizing  _ darkest day _ . She pulled the shawl around her shoulders closer and shivered.

“No one knows exactly what happened. But the knight fell, and when all hope was lost, Princess Zelda, hallowed be her name, realized her power.” Edna paused as everyone repeated her. 

“Hallowed be her name.” The crowd murmured. 

“She saved this part of Hyrule and ordered her knight to be brought somewhere safe. It is said that he still sleeps somewhere in the wild, healing to one day return to us. Supposedly, the Princess is still inside the castle. Keeping the evil at bay until her knight returns to her.” Edna finished.

“It’s all very sad really. My grandmother lost her parents in the calamity. But she doesn’t remember it, she was so young.” Another woman spoke up. Several people raised their drinks in agreement.

“Has it really been one hundred years? Wow, am I getting old. I remember when we used to only say fifty years.” An elderly man joked, smiling a grin that was missing a few teeth. 

“You sure you weren’t there the day of the Calamity, Bervis? You look old enough!” Someone else in the back yelled. Several members of the group laughed.

It seemed everyone had something to say about the story.

“Hino, do you believe that the Princess is really still at the castle?” A young woman asked, looking at the man who had first talked to Link. 

“You know, I ain’t sure. No one has ever been able to make it to the castle, it’s too dangerous. But you know what, Hey Edna. Isn’t this month the anniversary of the Calamity?” Hino asked. 

Edna frowned in thought. “I believe it is. It happened in the summer for sure.” Edna paused with a look that showed she was lost in thought.

“My mother used to tell us stories about the calamity. She said that according to a sheikah she meant once, the knight would be asleep for at least one hundred years, before he would be able to return. I remember that we used to lay flowers down in the field over there, to pay respect to the princess and the knight, at the spot where the knight fell. May his soul return to us.” Edna said pointing towards the fields behind the stable, and once again everyone repeated her. 

_ “May his soul return to us.” _

Link, supposedly the one with the soul they were praying about, gulped loudly at the prayer. At this point Link knew he had to get out of there. This was too much, but his feet felt like lead and stayed planted in place. 

“Well if the story is true, I guess we will know soon enough. About time too, I am tired of running into the monsters and guardians. Nowhere feels safe.” A young man said, thumping his mug on the table. 

“I don’t see how they could be alive that long, they weren’t sheikah.” Someone else piped up.

“They weren’t normal hylians either. Two souls blessed by the Goddess and bound by legend. They’ll come back. One day.” An old man said, chugging the remnants of his mug as if their return depended on him finishing his cup.

“Well what do you think about that story, lad?” Hino smiled up at Link, but his smile fell when he saw Link’s face.

Link had been silent the whole time, Hino had thought it was because he was intrigued by the story. But Link’s eyes were wide and scared, his face had lost all it’s color. And Link stood in front of the story tellers trembling. 

“You okay there, son?” Hino asked him, his face scowled in concern.

“I-I have to go.” Link said abruptly, running out of the stable as fast as he could. Wolf popped his head up from where he was nibbling on the grass when he saw Link, and didn’t flinch when Link landed on his back with no warning. 

“We have to leave now, buddy.” Link whispered to the horse, and pushed his heels lightly into Wolf’s sides. Wolf understood and took off, faster than Link had dared to ride him yet. 

Behind him he heard Rensa yell something after him, but Link ignored it. He focused on the reigns in his hand and tried not to look at the field behind the stable. He was hyperventilating, his hands still shaking. He had died here? In the plains behind the stable?

His vision felt blurry and his head hurt. The scar on his left side throbbed, and he knew then that had to have been the fatal blow to him. What happened to him? What struck him so hard that he had lost his life? And when would the time come that he would have to face it again?

Link felt tears form in the corner of his eyes and he let them fall. He didn’t think he was much of a crier, but it’s not everyday that he was told the story of how he died. He let himself sob, feeling the loss of his previous life for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where I start straying from the game. One thing that I wanted to see in BOTW was a group of travelers talking about the lore and the calamity and having a big discussion about it. I also thought it would be interesting to see how Link would react to it. And to be fair there is a little bit of this in BOTW, but I wanted it on a bigger scale!  
> Also, I'm sorry for making Link cry but it needed to be done. It's time to let him have emotions.


	7. Chapter 7

Link sat on the ground with his back against a tree, staring up at the sky. Lazy clouds drifted by, chasing each other as the hours passed. Link sat and watched them float across, feeling an ache in his chest and he didn’t know why.

He begged his mind to give him an answer, and when that didn’t work he begged the Princess to speak to him. To give him answers to the questions that had been running through his mind since he left the stable. But no answers or voice came to him, just the empty howl of the wind. He was alone out here in the wild. 

Well except for his horse, Wolf, who at the moment was stretching his neck up towards an apple hanging from the tree Link was leaning against. He was just out of reach of the fruit, but Link bumped the tree with his elbow and the apple fell at the horse’s feet.

He neighed in excitement and munched away. Link sighed watching him, grateful for his goofy companion. Deciding it was time to get going, the young hero stood up and dusted the dirt from his trousers. They were rather close to Kakariko village and could make it there within an hour once they got back on the trail. 

Well, that’s what he thought until he met Hestu. The tall forest spirit had been so surprised when Link looked his way. Then Hestu had been even more desperate when he begged Link to rescue his maracas.

Link felt himself roll his eyes, more at the ridiculous task he was doing now than anything. Stealing back the forest musician’s maracas, did that fall under his duties? Perhaps, but regardless Link couldn’t help feel bad for Hestu. So before he knew he found himself charging up the hill to defeat the bokoblins that robbed Hestu. 

  
  


Later that same day, after arriving in Kakariko, Link found himself nervously walking up the stairs to Impa’s house. Link clenched and unclenched his fists as he walked up the steps to Impa’s house. He was still very shaken from the stable, but he wasn’t as distraught as he had been. Link stopped in front of the door and noticed a young woman kneeling by the door. 

The young woman stopped whatever she was doing and gasped. “M-master Link? Is it really you?” 

Link stared at her for a moment, not liking the title “master”. “I suppose, it is me. What is your name?” He said, trying to sound kind. His heart wasn’t in it, and his question came out flat.

“P-p-paya.” The girl uttered. “Please head inside, grandmother has been waiting for you.” The girl said. Link nodded at her. He then took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. 

“So, you’re finally awake?” The croaked voice of the figure kneeling on the floor reached Link as soon as he opened the door. The figure had their head down, covered by a brimmed hat. But then they raised their head and smiled, causing Link to let out a small gasp. It was a small old woman, with an odd blue tattoo on her forehead.

“It has been quite a long time...Link.” The woman laughed, smacking her knee as her voice echoed through the large room she sat in. Was this Impa?

“I am much older now, but you remember me. Don’t you?” The woman asked, her eyes peering at him with hope. 

He searched his brain for a memory or some sort of information about the old woman, anything. Link wanted to remember who this was, but they were as good as a stranger. He felt himself staring too long. But his silence and blank face gave the woman the answer she was searching for her.

“What is the matter? You are looking at me as though I am a stranger to you. Those eyes, they lack the light of familiarity. It is I, a courageous one.” The woman said, stressing out the last part as if poking fun at him. “It’s Impa. Surely you must remember the name Impa?” She asked. 

Link stared back at her, not sure what to say. It was clear that he was supposed to remember her. But he didn’t. Instead he just looked at her with apologetic eyes.

“Oh, I see. So you have lost your memory.” She said, shocked. 

An odd thought popped in Link’s mind, how did she know that? Did the people who put him in the shrine know that would happen? Was that the plan all along? Before he could ask, Impa started speaking again. 

“Well it matters not. In fact, that might actually be a blessing in disguise for the time being. “ She replied, folding her hands in front of her with her eyes down. 

Link felt himself frown and his fists clench again. Of course it mattered that he couldn’t remember anything! He didn’t remember his life from before...he didn’t even know what he had forgotten. How was that a good thing?

“Dearest Link. Please come a bit closer.” Impa waved him over. Link took a moment to hesitate, but walked over anyway. 

Impa cleared her throat a few times. Being this close to Impa, he realized there were tears in her eyes. This must have been a moment she had been waiting for a long time, and now here it was. “I don’t know how much you remember, Link.” She stopped again, wiping her eyes this time. “One hundred years ago...the kingdom of Hyrule was destroyed. After you fell, Princess Zelda’s final wish was to place you in a sacred slumber. And then… and then…” Impa stopped, a sob escaping her.

She took a deep breath, and started again. “And then all alone...all alone she went to face Ganon.” Impa sighed. It was then he realized that Impa had been the keeper of this knowledge, not only so she could tell him one day but because she had lived through the events. She had witnessed first hand the destruction of the kingdom, and it left her scarred. Perhaps it was better that he had forgotten. A blessing in disguise, as Impa had suggested

“Before Princess Zelda went to nobly meet her fate, she entrusted me with some words that she wished to say to you.” Impa said. 

The Princess had left a message for him? His eyes widened as he nodded. 

“I have been waiting 100 years to deliver the princess’s message. However,” Impa paused. “these words, which the princess risked her life to leave you, if you are to hear them you must be prepared to risk your life as well. But I am afraid that burden may be too much to bear while you are still without your memories. I will leave the choice to you. Are you ready to hear her final words to you now?” The elder asked, her eyes sad. 

Link looked down, pondering the question for a moment. He thought he was ready, but Impa made it sound like he had to make a sacrifice or something to hear the Princess’s words. But what else was he to do? Everything he had been told so far, was about how he was supposed to head to the castle and rescue the Princess. That was...his purpose. His only purpose. How could he not hear the words the Princess, his sovereign, left him? 

“I am ready.” Link looked up to meet Impa’s eyes, which were wide in shock as he spoke. Apparently she hadn’t expected him to answer so quickly. “On my way here, I ran into a group of travelers. They told me...told me the story of how I died. Well I think it’s the fabled version of it. But, it was the weirdest feeling, being told how you met your end and not being able to even remember it.” Link stopped, feeling the same ache swell in his chest.

“I just… tell me what happened. Nothing has made sense since I woke up.” He explained, the last part coming out almost as a whisper. 

“You will learn in time, dear Link.” Impa said sympathetically. “But if you are ready, I will tell you the Princess’s words.” Impa searched his face for a sign to continue. Link nodded. 

The elderly woman opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. She frowned as she thought about something, then looked back up at him and smiled. 

“Not a memory to your name, yet you are as intent as ever to charge forward with only courage and justice on your side.” Impa laughed. “You have not changed a bit, once a hero, always a hero.” She said softly, but her eyes weren’t on him anymore. They were lost in a memory, a memory probably from one hundred years ago.

“Very well. Before I share her words, since you lost your memory, I will recount all that has happened for you.” 

Link watched as Impa pulled out a tapestry, covered in ancient drawings. She motioned for him to sit down and she began the tale of what happened to the kingdom. She started out with their ancient ancestors and Link was shocked to see that the tapestry moved as Impa pointed. The images on it changed shapes and positions, moving along with Impa’s words. 

“So,” Impa said, now to the part of the story regarding their lifetime. “In order to avoid making the same mistake we did one hundred years ago, the Princess left you these words…” She trailed off. 

Link leaned in, his anticipation growing. What did the Princess need him to know? Did she have some sort of plan for him? Or words of inspiration? 

“Free the four divine beasts.” Impa finally uttered out. 

Link raised an eyebrow, his face revealing his confusion. 

“That is what she said.” Impa nodded, acknowledging Link’s reaction. 

“Four divine beasts? She wants me to free them? I don’t… know exactly what that entails.” Link stated. There must be more direction from the Princess than just that. 

Impa looked at him, this time raising her eyebrows in question. “You know, you are a lot more talkative than you were back then. You’re still pretty quiet, but not the silent knight you used to be.” She went on. “The four divine beasts, each piloted by the chosen champions. All of them were defeated by Ganon.” She said, sadly. 

“Vah Rudania piloted by Daruk of the Gorons. Vah Medoh, controlled by Revali of the Rito. Vah Ruta, controlled by Mipha of the Zora. And Vah Naboris, piloted by Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo. You must infiltrate the beasts and return them to our side.” 

Link listened with his eyes closed, trying to commit every single bit of information to memory.  _ Daruk, Revali, Mipha, and Urbosa _ . He repeated the names in his head. 

“Where are the divine beasts?” Link asked, opening his eyes. 

“You can find more information about the divine beasts by locating the four races scattered across Hyrule. Let me see your sheikah slate.” Impa raised a small hand out. 

Link handed her the slate and watched as she began to tap the screen.

“There, I have added the locations of the four races. The slate will guide you on your way. You must go where it tells you and meet with each leader there. They will know how to find the divine beasts.” Impa handed the slate back to him. “You know, your slate seems to be incomplete. The Princess left that to you, it is your guide and also your memory. I’m not sure why it seems to be missing information, but I bet someone at the research lab in Hateno Village will be able to help you.” Impa said, with a mischievous grin on her face. 

“Hateno Village?” Link asked, choosing not to ask what was so funny. The travelers earlier had mentioned Fort Hateno, were they of the same origin?

“Your slate will show you the way, Link. It is a small village, one of the few places untouched from the Calamity. It was safe because…” But Impa trailed off, giving Link a worried look. “That is something for you to learn, I suppose. But make your way there. You will surely find answers to some of your questions.” She said, looking at Link again. 

Link looked at the slate and saw glowing points across the map, signifying the locations Impa just told him about. He nodded and then slipped the slate back on his belt.

Then a thought popped in Link’s head, something the traveler’s from earlier had said. “Impa, if I may ask you one last question. Someone said I was the only one who could wield the sword that seals the darkness? What does that mean?” 

Impa smiled and nodded. “Oh, yes. Your legendary sword. It sleeps safely in the Korok forest now. It has been sleeping as long as you have. I am certain you will remember it as time passes, but it is nothing you need to worry about right now. You’ll know when it is time to retrieve it.” 

Link nodded, showing he understood. Before he could respond, Impa spoke again.

“Link, you are Princess Zelda’s only hope. And Hyrule’s as well… You cannot turn back now. Follow your heart and seize your destiny!” Impa urged him, and then lowered her head with her arms in front of her. 

The elder said nothing more as a solemn look crossed her face, her thoughts lost in a past only she remembered. She had said her piece, it was time for him to go. 


	8. Chapter 8

The stalks of green grass tickled Link’s face, dragging across his cheek with the wind. He was laying in a field filled with blooming flowers and foliage. Butterflies, dragonflies, and birds zoomed overhead, chasing each other as the wind lightly blew. The sweet smell of the flowers and hyrule herb patch nearby tickled his nose and stirred something in his mind. But he couldn’t reach it and at this moment he didn’t care.

A smile drifted across his face, and he stretched his arms out with a yawn. Link could fall asleep here, curl up in the warm sun and forget about everything. Every confusing damn thing that was happening could slip away out of his grasp, lost in the wind like the rest of his memory. 

Then he heard a noise next to his ear and he turned to the side expecting to see someone there with him, but all he saw was gold. He closed his eyes at the harsh light, a floating orb that he could not quite make out. Heat emanated from it like a roaring fire, but he felt no pain and the grass did not char. Like the sun it was, the light giving of a sort of lifelike energy. This is how it always felt when it appeared. 

He reached out to it, trying desperately to get a hold of it this time. But as soon as he got near, the light turned dark red. Pain tinged his finger tips, the grass began to burn, the wildlife scattered, and then the world was black. 

Link jolted awake, sitting up as thunder roared outside. He looked around the Inn he was occupying as he hoped he didn’t wake anyone. He was the only person occupying this side of the room. He laid back down and was glad he hadn’t woken anyone. 

Link groaned as he buried his face in his pillow. Sweat made his hair cling to his forehead and he raised a hand to wipe it away. The pounding beat of his heart was the only noise he heard, besides the slow snore of the occupant across the room.

He had dreamt of the flower field again. He had every night since waking up in the Shrine. At first, it had just been glimpses of the grass and the flowers. Each night the dream progressed forward. Becoming clearer and clearer as the dream became longer. 

He had spent countless nights reaching towards the golden light, only to wake up before he could. However, this was the first time the red energy had appeared. Why did it appear when he reached the light?

The dream meant something surely. Why else would he have it over and over again. He had pondered this idea many times before, to the point where he would exhaust himself with scenarios. 

But from what he could tell, there was nothing special about the field. No real landmarks he could point out. There was a small tree to the right of where he always laid in the grass, nothing else. But it was so real, the sounds and smells of the world around was as real as if he were to step outside. 

It had to be a memory from his past. He reached for the sheikah slate and once again opened the album. He had met with Purah that morning, an odd young researcher who restored his sheikah slate after some bidding from him. He was going to head back to Impa’s in the morning to find out what she knew about the pictures. 

But Purah had already let it slip what these were. There were pictures the Princess had left him. Supposedly they were moments of the Princess’s travels in the past, and he as her appointed knight would have been with her. 

Instantly something in him recognized them. He didn’t know what history they held or where they were, but the tendrils of his past were there. He scrolled through them again, trying to see if any of them matched the dream. Most of them had showed similar grass landscapes that the dream had. But there was one, that could fit. It was a grassland with a tree, though that could describe several areas in Hyrule that he had seen so far. He would have to see it in person to know for sure.

He slipped the slate back under his pillow, and tried to go back to sleep.

It was in the middle of his drowsy thoughts as he was drifting back to sleep that a realization occurred to him. He had dreamt of the flower field while in the Shrine too. He had dreamt of it for one hundred years. 

Before he could truly grasp on to the thought, sleep took him.

Link stepped out of the Hateno Inn, thanking the clerk as he did. It was early, the sun just starting to peek over the horizon. But he was ready to get on with the day. He began to walk toward where he had left Wolf for the night, when something caught his attention. 

In the center of the village, off the path a ways were two statues. He hadn’t noticed them before in his hurried state to get to Purah's the day before, and after that the storm had rolled in. But here in the early morning, the sunlight seemed to fall on them first. Blessing them with rays as soon as it’s light kissed the mountain tops. 

These statues looked holy in the sun, and Link assumed they were. The statues were around his height and made of some sort of tan clay and dirt mixture. Some parts of the statues were cracked and the corners chipped in places. They depicted a young man and woman, both looking fiercely ahead.

It took just a second of Link studying the face of the young man statue to know it was him. He saw the same furrow of the eyebrows he knew he always carried on his face, the same choppy bangs hung in the statue's eyes, and the statue carried a sword. A sword he did not recall seeing before, but knew it must have been the legendary sword he was said to carry. 

Feeling a sense of homesickness for something, he looked away to the other statue of the young woman. But this was a mistake, as when gazed upon the woman’s face the grief grew. The woman had large wide eyes that faced forward and her hands were grasped in front of her in prayer. Long hair was carved into the statue, cascading over the woman’s bare shoulders and down her back over a dress.

Link’s suspicions of who this was were confirmed as he hung his head, eyes darting to the ground only to see the words “Princess Zelda and Her Knight, in memory of their sacrifice” carved into the stone pedestal the statues were on. 

Link couldn’t make himself look up at the statue's face again. It was just a statue, but this was the face of his sovereign, his leader. Who he had sworn to protect and failed. He still didn’t remember her, but seeing himself by her made everything seem more real. Less of a crazy hallucination and more of a reality. He wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad realization.

Shifting his feet uncomfortably, Link noticed words carved into the pedestal by his statue. 

“For Link, I’ll always remember you. - Lil’ A.” These words were faded, tinier than the words on the Princess’s statue. Link racked his brain for any recollection of who Lil’ A could be, but as usual he drew a blank.

Another puzzle piece of his past life that he didn’t know how to connect to the present one. He wanted everything to start making sense so he didn’t have to keep trying to grasp these scraps of who he once was. It felt like every time he got close to figuring something out, he would discover something else and suddenly the image of what he thought he knew was distorted. 

His memory felt like the sands on the beach shore, the ocean coming to wipe the sands clean of their history.

His best hope for answers was Impa. He had to ask for her to tell her more of what she knew. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really where I went away from the canon. But I promise everything will make sense! Also I was releasing these weekly, but I think I will have to change to every two weeks from now on. I hope you all understand.


End file.
